With the NBA set on fire by younger superstars such as LeBron James and Kevin Durant, many fans feel that Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are done winning rings. Four of our PSR writers debate whether the Kobe Bryant era is over.

Reuben Hampton: In reality, the Kobe Bryant era ended years ago; this season’s failure is just the nail in the coffin. For a while now, Kobe has been a borderline volume scorer who makes just enough shots to justify all the bad ones he takes. Almost two decades in the league has robbed him of his legs, and outside of last season, his attempts per 40 minutes at the rim have dwindled and his number of long two-pointers has increased. With so much mileage on his body, Kobe is turning into a one-dimensional scorer. He has always been a good from midrange and in particular posting up smaller guards along the baseline, but he is a career 33% shooter from beyond the arc, a statistic that will not improve as he increases his number of outside shots. His defense was also fair at best and will only worsen with his diminished mobility; don’t let the All-NBA designation fool you, it’s a lifetime achievement award in his case.More importantly, as he slows down, Kobe needs to be willing to take a reduced role in the offense as a second or third scoring option, something in the past he has been unwilling to do. With the Lakers cap situation in dire straits, Kobe needs a strong supporting cast to make one last title run, but his team does not have the tools in place to make that happen.

Daniel Lewis: Reuben, I could not agree with you more, particularly about his defense. On that end of the court, Kobe has not just been bad. His presence on the defensive end of the court has actually become a severe detriment. Although he cannot be expected to exhibit the lockdown defense of his twenties, this Lakers team has struggled so mightily because he no longer even tries. As the leader of the team, Bryant needs to be held accountable for his appallingly bad defensive effort. In fact, his poor defense is the chief reason for the Lakers’ struggles. The team’s defense is so bad because its leader is very clearly showcasing that defense does not matter. Their chemistry is off because it is because it is tough to respect and listen to a player so clearly leaving you out to dry on the defensive end. The team’s level of energy is inconsistent because its leader is only trying half the time. From a defensive standpoint, Kobe is flat-out tanking.

However, as much as he is responsible for the mess that is this season, Kobe is far from the only cause of the Lakers’ struggles. In fact, I’d list the inability of Dwight Howard to compensate for the roster’s defensive weaknesses, an unbelievable rash of injuries, and Pau Gasol’s decline as other reasons for L.A.’s season of failure.

Micky Ibia: The Lakers need to begin “reloading,” as opposed to rebuilding, which the Lakers never do. Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Co. are simply too old to lead this team past more athletic teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat, two teams who can run the Lake Show out of the building. If Howard heads to Atlanta, Dallas, or Houston this offseason, the Lakers need to seriously consider tanking next year. Besides, Gasol has an expiring contract this upcoming season that could be traded for draft picks, Metta World Peace could be amnestied to minimize luxury tax penalties, and Steve Nash could be traded to a contender for a somewhat decent return. Theoretically albeit unlikely, the team could also amnesty Kobe to save $80 million in salary and tax penalties. These types of moves would give the Lakers a fair shot at getting a future superstar-in-the-making such as Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Dipesh Patel: Micky makes some great points. Snagging Wiggins or Parker with a little luck would give the Lakers a much-needed cornerstone for the future. The bottom line is that the Lakers will not be an elite team again until they move on from the Bryant era and start anew. It may sound ludicrous, but it is true. Love him or loathe him, for the 17 years he has been in the league, he has carved out a legendary career. He can still play at an elite level, but his age, impatience, and giant contract continue to hamstring the franchise. Unlike their last rebuilding effort, L.A. does not have the time to develop a young player as they did with Bynum without angering their 34-year-old superstar who wants to win now. Any NBA fan who argues otherwise is denying the fact that Kobe is too old to care about the future of this team and only lives in the now. Simply put, the Lakers are stuck. I predict that Gasol will be sent packing this summer, but the move will not lead to more than another short-lived playoff appearance.